Vertical Exposure to Zika Virus and Its Consequences for Child Neurodevelopment (ZIKVIRUSIFF)

The recent increase in the number of cases of congenital microcephaly observed in Brazil is a reason of great concern. This increase occurred a few months after Zika virus (ZIKV) was introduced in the country, which was associated with reports of pregnant women presenting fever and rash illness during pregnancy. Thus, the hypothesis of a relationship between ZIKV infection and microcephaly became plausible. However, studies on the pathophysiology of maternal ZIKV infection, its consequences for the fetus, and the development of severe encephalopathy are still needed. Knowledge about the natural history of vertical transmission and its association with changes in fetal development in early life is still scarce. Studies on factors which determine the severity and clinical evolution, such as inflammatory response mechanisms, viral evolution, and development of serological tests to identify ZIKV infection, are still needed. The Aedes aegypti is responsible for the transmission of various types of viruses of interest to human health. Currently, it is primarily responsible for the transmission of the dengue, chikungunya, and ZIKV in epidemic proportions. In addition, it is not yet known whether there is an interaction between these viruses and whether the interaction can determine the severity of the disease. The aim of this study is to evaluate the natural history of ZIKV disease in two cohorts( pregnant women and children) starting with pregnant women or newborns or evennursing mothers, identifying risk biomarkers, mapping the anti-viral inflammatory response, evaluating the molecular evolution of the virus,which areimportant to determine the mechanisms of vertical viral infection and verify children neurodevelopment from birth to the end of 3rd year of life.